There are rather too many of these 'Too Old?' threads - here we have yet another one. I don't mean to denigrate your concerns or your question, but a brief search of Pprune Wannabes would reveal more topics with this title than almost any other, with the possible exception of BA aptitudes. Anyway, enough of that!
A career change at your age is a major undertaking, whatever the new career might be. Many people do successfully leave their rat-race career for a more relaxed time making furniture or some such, but few leave one high-pressure career for another, especially one where the retirement age (60)is less than the national pensionable age - at least for men. Having said that, as you'll discover from that search I mentioned, there are a fair few here who have successfully achieved what you are contemplating. Their secret seems to be bloody-minded persistence, a reasonable amount of money (house sold, etc), and a refusal to accept that this dream is impossible. I think it really does take that level of suspension of what others would regard as reality! Put it another way, would you consider becoming a doctor or a barrister at your age? The training is similar in length and rigour, but the retirement age is potentially considerably higher.
Ok, I've tried to put you off and if you're serious you'll ignore me. Stop wasting time and get on with it! I wish you the very best of luck and good fortune, and I hope you make it.
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Scroggs
Wannabes Forum Moderator
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